Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

Explore this bird

Identification

13 cm (5") Abundant across North America. In moist vegetation, swamps, stream-sides, marshes and clearings.

Dark olive upperparts.

Male: broad black mask contrasts with bright yellow underparts. Yellow undertail coverts.

Female: yellow underparts. Lacks black mask of male. Whitish eye ring.

Nests on ground.

Cocks its tail like a wren.

Song: distinctive "whitchity-whichity-whichity-witch".

Details in the field

2 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

2 videos

Common Yellowthroat

Credit: Larry Bond

Common Yellowthroat

Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy Productions

Where it lives

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

1 rule

Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 9

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What were the EYE markings if any ?: None · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like

result:114-common-yellowthroat-female:1:1 Source: 114 Common Yellowthroat (Female), row 1

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 9

Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Uniform · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What were the EYE markings if any ?: Light STRIPE OVER, BEHIND or THROUGH the eye · Dark STRIPE THROUGH the eye · None · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like

result:113-common-yellowthroat-male:1:1 Source: 113 Common Yellowthroat (Male), row 1